tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post114990945160449094..comments2024-03-18T13:32:44.865-04:00Comments on Evil Editor: Face-Lift 57Evil Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03879826770199639420noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-27219915654325943322009-03-08T14:42:00.000-04:002009-03-08T14:42:00.000-04:00Far-fetched or not, it could sell. Ever heard of C...Far-fetched or not, it could sell. Ever heard of Cody Banks?_*rachel*_https://www.blogger.com/profile/03293167107180931700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1150474097199499672006-06-16T12:08:00.000-04:002006-06-16T12:08:00.000-04:00Sorry, this comment is a little late to the game, ...Sorry, this comment is a little late to the game, but I thought I'd add it anyway because this was one of the more interesting queries I've read on this site. I just have one suggestion/question.<BR/><BR/>What if the discovery of the pathogen is serendipitous? Maybe the kids aren't necessarily supposed to be working on this sort of thing and one of Katie's friends (or Katie herself) stumbles across it. I think something like that might make the premise a bit easier to swallow. Kids working on biological pathogens sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen...<BR/><BR/>Also, thought I'd add that the set up reminded me a little of Ender's Game, which is a good thing 'cause I really liked that book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1150143116755577752006-06-12T16:11:00.000-04:002006-06-12T16:11:00.000-04:00rei--Critical Mass does not refer to the biologica...rei--<BR/><BR/>Critical Mass does not refer to the biological weapon but rather to the effects of concentrating all of the students together.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1150130736555881382006-06-12T12:45:00.000-04:002006-06-12T12:45:00.000-04:001) "Critical mass" is a term that has to do with n...1) "Critical mass" is a term that has to do with nuclear weaponry, not biological weaponry.<BR/><BR/>2) Even the best educated 8 year old won't have the requisite background for this sort of work. If this wasn't targetted at teenagers, but simply children, I might buy into that more, since they're not up on accuracy and like to think that they can do anything.<BR/><BR/>3) Sounds too much like "Real Genius", only less realistic.<BR/><BR/>I'll state that I mention all of this as a graduate of the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS), a program sponsored by the Texas state government for "geeky" students in which their last two years of high school are done at a college, taking normal college classes (and some classes that are tougher than the normal college equivalents) and getting two years of college credit at the same time. The normal college students hated us because we ruined the curve in their classes. We had Tamsters as young as 12 years old (pre-pubescent boys look really out of place in college classes), although most were 15-16. If you're curious what real geeky kids do when they're clustered into one location away from their parents, just ask. <BR/><BR/>For example: there's a rule in the TAMS handbook banning "lasers and other dangerous scientific equipment". This was because, back before those little diode lasers became cheap, a couple Tamsters built a small gas laser and panned it across the windows of Bruce hall, awakening the Brucelings from their drug-induced hazes.Reihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17005292189176596201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1150073031773548512006-06-11T20:43:00.000-04:002006-06-11T20:43:00.000-04:00I keep wondering why the government doesn't have t...<I>I keep wondering why the government doesn't have trained research scientists doing this work.</I><BR/><BR/>Budget cuts. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1150062629556965792006-06-11T17:50:00.000-04:002006-06-11T17:50:00.000-04:00Anonynono--Even in fiction you must have credibili...Anonynono--<BR/><BR/>Even in fiction you must have credibility.<BR/><BR/>I keep wondering why the government doesn't have trained research scientists doing this work.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08504439129670380071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1150056048869808942006-06-11T16:00:00.000-04:002006-06-11T16:00:00.000-04:00The camp does try to notify Katie's family. The c...The camp does try to notify Katie's family. The campers keep the message from going through; they don't want their parents to find out and get spooked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1150044928434198082006-06-11T12:55:00.000-04:002006-06-11T12:55:00.000-04:00Isn't this fiction? Aint nobody got to inform nob...Isn't this fiction? <BR/><BR/>Aint nobody got to inform nobody.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1149999578628541422006-06-11T00:19:00.000-04:002006-06-11T00:19:00.000-04:00Of course the biggest problem with this book is no...Of course the biggest problem with this book is not the plot or audience, which sounds like it could work, (tho' I do agree that kids would probably like it if they were the ones solving, not the FBI) Because if Katie is missing, the camp would be filled with counselors/and or teachers who are mandated first reporters, which means they have to notify law enforcement and the kid's guardians that said kid is missing. It doesn't matter that they notify FBI as opposed to local cops. But to believe that no one would contact the parents to see if Katie returned home? You'd be talking about major incompetence on part of FBI and camp. And law suits galore if they found Katie harmed or dead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1149985771002537882006-06-10T20:29:00.000-04:002006-06-10T20:29:00.000-04:00Thanks a lot EE. I think you're right that the FB...Thanks a lot EE. I think you're right that the FBI agent doesn't belong at the center of the story. I'm going to look it over and see if I can rework it. <BR/><BR/>I realize that the humanities kids seem somewhat out of place. I think the letter didn't frame it properly. These kids are still in advanced classes, but their talents lie elsewhere. They are at the camp because they provide a different perspective. To produce a virus, you don't just need biochemists; you need social scientists who can analyze human behavior to predict the best release points and times.<BR/><BR/>The different perspective is how Katie figures out the ruse. The camp administrators inform the students what they've "discovered" the terrorists are doing and the students are supposed to reproduce the results. Katie keeps pushing for more information on where the reports are coming from. She figures that analyzing what sorts of materials and space the terrorists have access to could allow them to predict what modifications are possible. The answers she gets allow her to logically deduce that the reports are phony. <BR/><BR/>Additionally, Katie manages to flummox the math kids by leaving a note that is <I>encoded</I> not encrypted. Encryption uses a function to change letters into numbers and can be analyzed mathematically. Codes are random and must be memorized. Her code uses literary references.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1149983659290882222006-06-10T19:54:00.000-04:002006-06-10T19:54:00.000-04:00And Evil Editor isn't sure books about developing ...<I>And Evil Editor isn't sure books about developing pathogens for bio-weapons are appropriate for your declared audience.</I><BR/><BR/>They're totally appropriate for this audience!<BR/><BR/>Now the middle grade crowd, yeah, it might be a bit old for them. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1149982943077299412006-06-10T19:42:00.000-04:002006-06-10T19:42:00.000-04:00If the main characters become teens at the camp (t...If the main characters become teens at the camp (though the FBI investigator could still be lurking around, causing trouble), and the weirdness of having the runaway be a humanities prodigy (because why would the camp need one, and couldn't a science geek be just as troubled by the work being done there?), I would be intrigued enough to read this. Could work really well, actually.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1149963520666477202006-06-10T14:18:00.000-04:002006-06-10T14:18:00.000-04:00One of the few rules of YA books is that the narra...One of the few rules of YA books is that the narrator should be a teenager. If this is told from the FBI investigator's perspective, it's not YA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1149954180454227382006-06-10T11:43:00.000-04:002006-06-10T11:43:00.000-04:00I really liked this query. I would want to read t...I really liked this query. I would want to read the book if I were a YA editor. I especially like the "geeky thriller" label--it's something new and different, and very appealing. Sort of reminds me of the movie WARGAMES.<BR/><BR/>It does sound a little far-fetched, but sometimes it's hard to fully explain things in a query.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26791026.post-1149951153151426682006-06-10T10:52:00.000-04:002006-06-10T10:52:00.000-04:00Evil Editor,As I look around the state of our coun...Evil Editor,<BR/><BR/>As I look around the state of our country and the world today, I conclude that it's not as far fetched as it might be. Perhaps we ARE ruled by eight year old prodigies (8 year old evil vigilante sorcerers). Sigh. :)<BR/><BR/>I almost prefer to believe that than to think this mess is caused by adults.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com